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Ethnicity & Race According to the ATF

The ATF decided to make some small changes to the form 4473 on July 9th, 2012. This is the form that is filled out when buying any firearm from a dealer. They made things clear on residency rules for non-immigrant aliens, and they also are now collecting more concise information on ‘ethnicity’ & ‘race’.

Question 10 is now 10a and 10b. Specifically the ATF now asks for a seperate ‘Ethnicity’ and ‘Race’ where previously it was combined information.

Here are the new ‘ethnicity’ and ‘race’ guidelines according to the ATF:

Ethnicity – This refers to a person’s heritage (“where you come from”).

Persons of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race, are considered Hispanic or Latino.

Any other ethnicity that does not fall within those indicated, please select the closest representation.

Race – More than one response may be selected.

White – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

Black or African American – A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.

Asian – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

American Indian or Alaska Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintains a tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.